Having already beaten Arsenal twice this season, Sir Alex Ferguson may be slightly bemused as to how the Gooners are only two points behind the league leaders. However, Fergie believes that ‘on paper’ Arsenal appear to have an easier run in but at this point in the season that theory ‘does not really work’. Arsenal travel to Birmingham City on Saturday, where both Chelsea and United have dropped points this season. This will be the first time Arsenal travel to St Andrews since the infamous 2-2 draw where Gael Clichy gave away a last minute penalty, Eduardo horrendously broke his leg and saw then team captain William Gallas sit bewildered in the center circle after the game.

Arsenal have lost four times to Manchester United and Chelsea this season in the Premier League, scoring two and conceding ten. United played Arsenal off the park at the Emirates, whilst narrowing beating Arsenal at Old Trafford. Many fans believe that Arsenal have an ‘easier’ run in, which sees them travel to Blackburn Rovers, Tottenham and host Manchester City. Although United have a title deciding match against Chelsea next weekend, Ferguson believes that at this point of the season every game is difficult:

“On paper they have the easier run-in, but at this time of the season I’m not sure that theory works or means anything. You can drop points anywhere as Chelsea did at Blackburn and your advantage on paper all of a sudden doesn’t look so good. I don’t think you can say with certainty you’d be confident going anywhere at this time of the season and winning. We just have to rely on our experience and hopefully we can keep a relatively clean bill of health between now and the end of the season. The name of the game is to win your games and hopefully we can do that. That’s our best way of looking forward.”

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes that out of the three remaining teams for the title, it comes down to consistency:

“There are three teams in the race and it is down to the team who are the most consistent. We can only focus on our own performances. We know our route has to be perfect. To be perfect it is important we focus on our performances. We need some help from the other teams, but we know that will only work if we are consistent and keep our momentum. We have created a fantastic momentum and we have created a great belief within our squad. The consistency of our run is the most important. We want to keep the spirit, the hunger, the desire and the intelligence we have shown until now. For a long time we have fixed ourselves targets. We play every game like our life depends on it and it has been like that for a long time now. We need to bring consistency to our attitude. We have a remarkable attitude, a remarkable spirit in the team, and must just continue like we do.”

However, Paul Scholes took a completely different view to that of Sir Alex Ferguson and stated that Arsenal should be considered a threat, based on their run in:

“You can’t rule out Arsenal, especially with the run-in they’ve got. They’ve played all the top teams twice already, so they’ll be confident of putting together a good run of results. But the bottom line is that if we win all our matches we’ll win the league.”

Although Russian and Arsenal forward Andrei Arshavin believes that Arsenal need more players to win trophies:

“I am still of the opinion that to win trophies Arsenal needs more players. There is the simple fact that last summer we sold two players and bought only one. So there is an obvious deficit of at least one. Then we lost Van Persie, Gibbs and Ramsey for a long time. So for me it is natural we need new players. Without the variety of players we have less diversity in attack. That allows our opponents to read our combinations more easily. Finally, it results in less ball possession for us and our defence comes under more pressure. The Premier League is very interesting, at least as long as we continue fighting to win it. But without new experienced players, real stars, it will be difficult to achieve success. Ideally we need three or four such experienced players and then among our youths there should be guys who are not only good at playing football but have real character.”

So bit of a mix bag from both managers and players, however if you’re asking me from a fans point of view the next two/three weeks will be massive for Arsenal. They led in 2007/08 for the majority of the season, before losing to United in April and generally ‘running out of steam’ before finishing third behind Chelsea. They were eliminated by Liverpool in the Quarter finals of the Champions League, which as we know United went onto win. Arsenal fans will of course fancy their chances for the title, especially with United and Chelsea playing one another next weekend and hoping for a draw. The European Cup is a different matter altogether and to be honest, I preferred our draw to their one!

Of course Arsenal can win the title, history has proven that in 1998 and 2002, when United lost their lead to the North London club who went onto win the double. But away to Blackburn Rovers isn’t going to be easy, whist Tottenham will do everything in their power to stop Arsenal winning the title whilst pushing their own bid for a Champions League spot. Tomorrow’s game – Birmingham away is a tricky tie, with United, although playing well, drawing 1-1.

Just a quick note to any potential abusive Arsenal fan on here. Don’t care if you want to slag the article, Fergie or Scholes off – but if you do please back up a rant with some facts (i.e. please state what you believe has been said isn’t true). My small observation is that if you give Arsenal a bit of praise, they’re your best friends! However, if they disagree with you – they’ll hunt you down.

23 Responses to “Arsenal title run in not so easy says Fergie”

Fans of Le Arse whine just as much, if not more, than their manager. Even when they get the rub of the green they’ll find something to complain about. Like how teams such as Stoke and Hull kick them all over the pitch (as if they don’t do that against every other team in the league).

What they really mean is, teams don’t walk around the pitch, let us pass all we want, and allow us to score 6-0 because we play football the “right” way. That’s why they’re so affectionately known as “The Sour Patch Kids.”

As for the run-in, as you said Spurs will do everything that they can to beat them, and I’d imagine City will put up quite a good fight as well and another matchup with Ade should be interesting. And let’s not forget that Brum are nothing to mess with at home.

On paper it may look to be the easiest of the run-ins but there’s a chance for a slip-up or two.

I feel that there’s still a good bit of whining left to do by Le Arse and their supporters before season’s end.

Visiting gooner…for me it will be us or you. In my mind Utd are slight favourites due to experience and the form of Rooney. Its been a while since a 3 horse race and of course as an arsenal fan i’m hoping we have more luck with injuries than 2008. It seems the current arsenal squad is a stronger unit, so I have hope. Utd were comprehensively the better team in N London, but up at your place, we had more of the game and let in 2 very very bad goals out of nowhere. Good luck against Bayern…

I really hate these new breed of united fans , spoilt by the era of the great sir alex ferguson. Does ferguson’s constant complaints to the FA and refs not count as whinging simply cos it doesn’t wordplay for the press to use on his name unlike wenger’s? You don’t have to hate the opposition to support your own team. Do well to learn that

Fergie is up to his old tricks again, But Both Arsenal and Mufc can win it and it does not Matter who has easiest games. It true what you said it Massive weeks ahead for Gunners to navigate minefield, But i think they have crossed so many hurdles and looking more mature each day. They need to focus more on their own game than what others are doing.

It team like Arsenal that make football interesting why? Simple it a small club in terms of supporters compared to united 300 million plus worldwide network but they are catching up with tragedy of Eduardo and Ramsey hi
to give added emotional twist. Of course United would always be massive club both football wise and how the club is run is something people can learn from. I mean look at how much debt it takes for a club to be success and keep with misery money peddled by Russians sugar daddies i and Arab oil. United has gone to bed with the devil but it worse when these Glaziers came in and bought the club with credit. It disgussing and Fergie legacy would be tainted by being associated with these low lifes. Another issue that amazes me is issuing bond worth 500 m secured on Old Trafford wow, I have to feel very sorry for United supporters w
for what going. I think the Spanish model of fan owning the club should be tried here in uk. Okay back to topic In theory Arsenal are classy and have not reached these summit easily and we should appreciate a good team no matter who you support.

Another visiting gooner. I think United will win it by a few points. United always seem to come strong in the final weeks of the season, and I think for us to overhaul them, we’ll need to win all seven remaining games. And I don’t think we will. I think there’ll be at least a couple of draws in there. That said, we have been looking good in the last couple of months, and players such as Song, Diaby and Nasri are becoming really big players – as long as we can keep hold of Cesc we’ll be really strong next year.

Arsenal fan in peace-
Enjoyed the read, and seemed a pretty honest article.
Great to have such a tight battle between 3 teams for the title!
Birmingham will be a tough one but so was Stoke, Hull etc. If we entertain ideas of winning the league, or even competing until the end, its a must win game.
May the best team win!

Sam – I think he is talking about me. I’m very pro-Fergie, although do not always agree with every comment he makes. I respect the views of Stretford Veteran and understand his comments. I am merely reporting quotes in the week (or from last summer if you believe Adam’s comments!) from people involved in the title race.

Other than my inexcusable error by stating Arsenal drew 1-1 rather than 2-2 (hat tip to the man who labeled me ‘thick inbred cunt’), I think it pretty fair, no? Arsenal are a contender, agree with Fergie that Arsenal’s run in is harder than some fans expect and the results between the three title rivals this season. Arsenal fans may get annoyed that I mention they haven’t beaten Chelsea/United – but its the truth isn’t it?

Artenal’s run in is clearly easier but ManU’s harder games are mainly at home – Lpool was a tough, tough game but now it’s just a win.
like a few guys have said, you’re both right in a way.
What I would say though is Arsenal have generally run out of syteam against the big clubs – the last two years they struggled in big games in the run in – this year the big games are against smaller clubs. The ManU Chelksea result will clarify things a bit too, probably.

Put it these way to much energy is wasted on these so called big games why? I think you can say that day in emirates they just rolled over for united why? Well I think the reasons was in previous season united out performed us both leg of Champion league and these still played in their mind to extent they switched off. Chelsea games was something else bur the second one was a through demolition job. In fact it look like Both Chelsea and United have found weaknesses they could exploit but also luck played on their side as well with Gunners missing so many chances it was matter of time when they got punished. One thing everyone fail to mention also while Arsenal are peerless going forward they never clinically put them where it hurts most between the post why? Also defensively sometimes they concede stupid goals why? It something wenger has to address as these team is few players short of becoming the real deal. I think winning something these year should be springboard to greater things.

I agree with Fergie, our run in is NOT easy!!! Wenger admitted as much after the Burnley game, I think, saying “…so much for our easy run in….” But didnt SAR say Arsenal’s run in is easy a few weeks ago? what has changed since then? Me wonders….

I dont know why this site is coming up in Arsenal newsfeeds.
Yes United will probably win the EPL AGAIN- just to confirm that the competition is virtually absent in England and the EPL is a monopoly.

It is most likely that you will win every game between now and the end of the season.

There are a combination of reasons some fair-Your team has form players, a relative lack of injuries, experience, confidence and good players, some foul and unfair like the staggering bias of referees towards your club at home, your manager who has been allowed to wield far too much power and influence in the game.

Either way you lot have not had to live within your means within living memory and we look forward to the day when competition will be fairer- long live the Glazers!

Much as I love and respect old Red Nose, the English game would be NOWHERE as good as it is without his setting the standard, this is a bit of a throwback to silly mind games.
Rooney is up there with Messi and Ronaldo, Utd look dangerously determined, this down to the wire season will be about the football, NOT the silly mindgames which have left a stain on the career of a genius.

It seems to me that non-arsenal fans do more whinging and whining about Arsenal players and fans more than anything else. Pot meet Kettle. Intelligent analysis has been done in other wesbites, such as football365 to suggest why Arsenal players suffer more injuries than most other teams. A lot of it has do with an attitude that “Arsenal don’t like it up em” (as if anyone does). The fact that a lot of the current Arsenal squad are small technical players means that less talented, more robust and physical oppenents have no fear of a lot of Arsenal players doesn’t help the case. There were very few people willing to get in Paddy Vieria’s face, not to mention the likes of Cambell (who is making a difference now) Petit, not to mention the old back four. These were guys who’d kick you back, and then some. Of course our disciplinary record reflected this, and we were endlessly criticised for it (more non Arsenal fans whinging and whining). But as I mentioned about analysis, of the intelligent variety, it has been pointed out that Arsenals quick, ball retention style of play means they are more susceptible to late and poor challenges also leads to more injuries. Those are sensible reasons for the injuries. As or the whinging, Arsenal are not the only ones guilty of that. Football is rife with it.
As for Arsenal’s failings against United and Chelsea this season and at the end of last, there are mitigating factors. Arsenal have been guilty of naviety and not taking their chances against them. Injuries, and a hell of a lot of them, also played their part. In short, this Arsenal team is still very very young. The squad as a whole has improved no end in the last 3 seasons. Arsenal can now cope with injuries to many key players and still be consistent. There is still more to come from the majority of the current squad, and the liklihood is that there will be some additions for next year. If Arsenal win anything this year, it will be one hell of an achievement, and it will be in no way marred by losses to ManU and Chelsea. United won the league last year with one 1 away win against a top ten side. Arsenal also took 4 points from them. Nobody talks about that now though. History only remembers the victors. The rest is all waa waa waaah whinging and whining from a bunch of losers.